SEO is Dead, So What Comes Next?

Online marketing firm Newfangled breaks down the current SEO situation, and it isn’t pretty.

“Even if you are an exemplary student, play exactly by the rules and do every single thing right and start publishing this week, it’ll take you at least 18 months (or longer) before you could have any hope of seeing real results from organic Google rankings.”

— Mark O'Brien, Newfangled

The writer argues that two of the main reasons are Google’s decision to index AI content (and there is a lot of it) and that users simply do not scroll anymore. If they do not get the result they want, they change the search term rather than scroll. Bottom line: content creators are going to have to find new routes to user engagement.

“The rules of great content have not really changed at all in the past 20 years — great content engages people, builds trust and credibility, and educates the specific masses. Those are the rules and what you should do to achieve your goal of lead generation. That’s what’s changed a lot over the years.”

— Mark O'Brien, Newfangled

All of this illustrates that authors setting up their websites should not rely on automatic engagement. They will only be found by someone searching very specifically, probably for their name, or the title of their book. It is good to have a website that showcases an author’s work, but it is important to have other strategies to garner attention.

Newfangled have another interesting article on the kind of content you should put on your site, and in social media posts, to rise above the generic.

Working With Accessible Typefaces

An interesting article posted by Apple on using accessible, readable typefaces. Many of the suggestions are worth considering, though following them all might feel a little constricting.

“Legibility is an informal measure of how easy it is to distinguish one letter from another in a particular typeface. Several aspects of a typefaces’ (font’s) design significantly impact how legible it will be.

This is a basic guide for anyone who is looking to choose typefaces that will increase legibility in any document.”

— Apple Education

A Philhellene Writes

Independent author Tony Whitefield has been profiled by the Greek Herald. Tony explains how his love for Greek culture, landscape and history led to him writing several works on history and fiction.

““I never ever thought that I could write a novel,” Tony said.

I’m a great believer that anyone can write, and having been a high school teacher for years, I thought, well I’ve written lots of articles, listing things and curriculum things and I’ve completed a master’s thesis and a PhD, so I just wanted to take that next step and commence writing.”
The 64-year-old said what he loved most about writing was the “aha moments.”
“I just love when I’m focused on such miniscule things and I can’t work out how to construct something, so I go away and clear my mind. Then, when I come back and start typing, it clicks,”

— Tony Whitefield, via the Greek Herald

Tips and Resources for Independent Authors, 2025

WorkingType Design’s resources booklet has been updated with more author advice and resources. The booklet can be downloaded here. If you’d like to add your own experiences, advice or warnings, please let us know. The case studies in the booklet show that there are many ways to promote a new or existing book, on or offline.

The Publisher's Paradox, or, The Author's Dilemma

Some very good advice and an ansight into the publishing process from experienced editor Euan Mitchelle. Excerpted from his book “Your Book Publishing Options”

The Publishers’ Paradox

Publishers want a submission that is different yet has been done before.

A paradox is a statement that appears to contradict itself yet contains a slippery truth. How can publishers expect something different – that is, new – but somehow it has been done before? This doesn’t seem to make sense. The answer is that publishers want evidence your genre or type of book is already selling in viable quantities, and your submission has at least one marketable point of difference from the existing competition.

Remember the example of the new atlas on page 31? If you think your book can’t be pigeonholed into an existing genre or combination of genres (cyborg-romance, gothic-crime), think again. This can be particularly confronting for fiction writers, as I found when my first manuscript was summed up by publishers as a coming-of-age/on-the-road tale. Up to that point it was my unique story that I didn’t like to categorise.

To a publisher it was just another text whose commercial potential could be guesstimated. Therein lies the key difference that your submission needs to overcome.

You are going to improve your chances of pitching to a publisher if you can put yourself in their shoes. But I have read too many submissions – in my later role as a publisher – that are self-centred (including a new writer’s career goals), rather than focused on how a book might fit with the publisher’s existing list of titles. The following alternatives aim to turn an ordinary submission into an extraordinary pitch.

Santosh Nambiar

Independent author Santosh Nambiar talks about Mindfulness. Santosh’s website does a great job of showcasing his books and services. Clean design, plenty of content and recently updated. And a clear introductory statement:

Liberation from your conditioned mind is Absolute Freedom

Are you ready to silence the unwanted mindnoise from your life?

The simple awareness of your conditioned mind will set you on the path to freedom from unwanted mindnoise, paving the way for peace, creativity, emotional wellbeing and clarity. Allow yourself to be free and live a more purposeful, grounded and conscious life.

Progressive Web Apps -- a platform agnostic solution for ebook readers

How Progressive Web Apps Are Shaping the Future of Ebook Readers

by Harikrishna Kundariya

In recent times, the whole process of digital content access and consumption has gone through a great transformation. One of the tools that many people around the globe use for reading is ebook readers. With Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) emerging, a new dimension has been added to the future ebook reading experience, presenting a seamless, responsive, and immersive experience in an easy format that can easily adapt to a variety of devices and environments. In reality, PWAs are presenting ebook sites with the much-needed opportunity to revolutionize reading experiences while filling the gap that has thus been formed between websites and native mobile apps.

This article delves into how Progressive Web Apps are revolutionizing the future of ebook readers and categorizes the features and benefits that may dictate the course of ebook consumption into the future.

What Are Progressive Web Apps?

Progressive Web Apps represent native app experiences delivered through web-based applications without reliance on native technologies from mobile or computers. Like regular websites, PWAs run instantly, support all devices for responsiveness, load offline, and can be accessed directly from any device's home screen without user interaction with app stores. PWAs are fast and reliable, with app-like performance, making the experience engaging, even in situations where there is little or no internet.

Seamless user experience on multiple devices

PWA provides the ebooks an experience of reading as if it were a native application. They assure smooth cross-device functionality, hence an ebook reader can read anywhere at any time on any smartphone, tablet, or desktop. Unlike native apps, these work across all platforms without having to download and install separate applications from stores. They thus save users from managing multiple apps to enjoy an uninterrupted reading of their ebook library. The Progressive Web App will be platform-agnostic, ensuring reading is accessible and convenient on all devices with a consistent responsive experience.

Offline Access and Synchronization

The biggest challenge ebook platforms faced was uninterrupted reading when there was no internet. In this respect, PWAs stand out, because they are built to be offline-capable. By using the service, the background scripts run on top of a webpage, without disrupting its functionality—PWAs can cache all the needed assets, including ebook files, to ensure that the users can keep reading even if there's no access to the internet.

This will make it possible to keep reading from your favorite series while you're traveling, as you are when commuting, even when connectivity might be spotty or unavailable for your ebook reader. Once connectivity comes back online, you will automatically update in the cloud and find what you've been reading synced throughout all of your devices. This level of convenience upgrades the whole user experience, which is why PWAs become an excellent option for ebook platforms looking forward to offering flexible and uninterrupted reading.

Optimized Speed and Performance

Ebooks must be fast and performant, and PWAs guarantee fast fluid experiences. Techniques such as caching enable them to load fast even on slower networks, reducing wait time. They are also lightweight, requiring less storage space on devices. This means they don't take a lot of storage space for content and features like native apps do; instead, they stream or cache content, thus reducing how much space will be occupied on a device without diminishing functionality. That makes PWAs very suitable for storage-limited users who want the best reading experience possible.

Engagement Features and Notifications

The ebooks can be made more enjoyable through PWAs with features like push notifications, where it notifies a user of a new release, reading milestones, or reminders to read. This makes the experience very personal and engaging because it reminds users to continue their favorite books or reminds them of events like book club meetings. This ensures that users are connected with their ebook libraries, thus bettering reading habits and engagement. Another area is push notifications, which will allow ebook platforms to be in touch with the users, hence improving retention and further use of the platform.

Low Cost and Easy Updates

Developing and maintaining native apps on each operating system is expensive and very time-consuming for ebook platforms. PWAs are relatively affordable and only need one codebase for all platforms, thereby simplifying the development process. As well, PWAs have automatic background updates, in which the user does not have to manually download updates. This means that the platform would never stop evolving because bugs can be fixed quickly and new content added the same way. With a PWA, there is a more agile ebook platform solution. The experience is streamlined and efficient for the developer and user.

Improved Discoverability and Accessibility

PWAs can significantly improve discoverability. They are especially great for markets where accessing the app stores may be difficult. The ebook platforms may send users directly to their sites to access a PWA in an instant. This improves acquisition rates and increases platform reach. Second, PWAs are friendlier to people with disabilities because they can be developed based on web technologies that support a screen reader and adjustable fonts besides offering high-contrast themes. This makes ebooks much more accessible to everyone, closer to reaching an even wider cross-section of a population for reading books even with visually impaired populations.

Future of Ebook Readers with PWAs

PWAs will definitely change the game in the digital reading world, making it much more accessible, performance-wise, and engaging. An ebook will generate an amazing load-time experience due to cross-device capability, offline capability, and push notifications, which will take readers anywhere they want, at any time, to read their favorite titles with flexibility, responsiveness, and immersion. As ebook platforms adopt PWAs, they will change the face of digital content consumption, making it easier and more accessible on any device so that the next generation of readers can find content easily.

In a nutshell, the influence of Progressive Web Apps on ebook readers is just tremendous. They are flexible, high-performance, and engaging in fulfilling the needs of today's digital readers while making development easier and discoverability better. More ebook platforms embracing PWAs will make ebook reading faster, more accessible, and more enjoyable than ever before.

Reports:

Article contributed by Harikrishna Kundariya

Biography:- Harikrishna Kundariya, a marketer, developer, IoT, Cloud & AWS savvy, co-founder, Director of eSparkBiz Technologies. His 12+ years of experience enables him to provide digital solutions to new start-ups based on IoT and SaaS applications.

What is a Business Book For

Business coach , author and social media expert Andrew Ford gives his take on the purpose of a business book:

“A book is a great resource as it establishes the author as an expert on the topic and someone who has a lot of intellectual property. The books we create with clients are all to support their existing businesses and not to sell as a way to independently make revenue. The amount of book sales necessary to get a return on investment of your time, effort and money to create a book, isn’t worthwhile. We make the returns from speaking, consulting and coaching clients based on the materials in the book. “

Andrew’s latest book detailing his 12-step e-ttraction method is out now.

The Three Rings of Editing Power, and One Editor to Bind Them

Author and experienced editor Euan Mitchell explains the three levels of editing, and why all are important. Taken with permission from Euan’s excellent book “Your Book Publishing Options”, published by Overdog Press, and available as an ebook here, Alternatively, you can buy a printed copy directly from Euan for $35 (including postage within Australia).

1. Structural Editing

Also known as ‘substantive editing’, structural editing concentrates on the overall structure of a manuscript – the big picture, not the details yet.A structural editor assesses the content of a manuscript and the way it is presented, including order and length of chapters, consistency of writing style and choice of language throughout, the sense of flow between sections, and the overall clarity with which a writer has pursued their intentions.

A good structural editor can be the most valuable ally a writer has during the publishing process. This does not mean the structural editor merely lavishes praise over the entire manuscript, indeed, serious restructuring may be suggested. This can be confronting for the writer, even with the most diplomatic of editors. The writer might feel like bursting into tears. It can feel like having the wind knocked out of you. But that doesn’t mean the advice is to be avoided. On the contrary, carefully considered insights from a good structural editor may be precisely what a writer needs to hear in order to raise their work to a higher level. Think of it as tough love. Patience, open-mindedness and diplomacy from both editor and writer are the keys to working through a structural edit. This is easy to say, but often hard to remember in the heat of the moment when an editor is recommending substantial changes to a manuscript in which a writer has invested months or years of their life. The changes may mostly be reasonable, but emotions can still be difficult to manage.To complicate matters, a writer is not expected to passively accept all suggestions. Structural editors are not always right. And there can be unfortunate personality clashes. But writers should not stonewall every recommendation because they don’t like an editor’s manner. A balance needs to be struck through thoughtful negotiation. Remember to breathe and take your time to consider a different point of view, not lapse into knee-jerk defensiveness.

2. Copyediting

After the structural editing, the copyediting begins. This primarily involves fixing spelling, grammar and punctuation. Small publishers may have the same editor for structural editing and copyediting, but larger publishers often pass the manuscript to another editor. The copyeditor will read through the manuscript sentence by sentence, making corrections. This is why copyediting is sometimes referred to as ‘line editing’. There is a grey area between structural editing and copyediting. A copyeditor may still request numerous paragraphs be moved, rewritten or even deleted just when the writer thought all structural issues had been resolved. Patience, open-mindedness and diplomacy will once again be needed.

Fortunately, however, most rewriting at the copyediting stage usually requires improvements at the sentence level. Certain long sentences may be clearer if broken up into two or three sentences. Too many short sentences may flow better if synthesised into longer sentences. And, ofcourse, within each sentence the grammar, spelling and punctuation will be scrutinised.

A copyeditor will also look for inconsistencies in details that the structural editor may have missed. The spelling of certain names may vary slightly. A sequence of actions may be missing a crucial step. The accent of a character may inexplicably change. The writer may unintentionally repeat certain phrases that become irritating verbal ‘tics’.

This is usually the most time-consuming of all three levels of editing.Some changes may not be a simple matter of right or wrong, but require further consultation between copyeditor and writer. Set aside as much time as practical to address ‘author queries’ from the copyeditor. It will be time well spent.

3. Proofreading

This is the ‘final filter’ of the editing process. Even the best copyeditors can leave behind careless errors. They are human, too. So after the edited manuscript has been laid out by a designer or typesetter to look like the pages of a finished book, another person is usually contracted to proofread print-outs of the pages to clean up any final errors.

Proofreaders occasionally suggest a sentence be reworded, but usually they stick to obvious inconsistencies and mistakes. ‘Thai-poes’ can undermine the credibility of a book and possibly mean a reprint if a misspelling inadvertently causes offence.

You don’t want these sorts of distractions from your otherwise brilliant manuscript, so don’t cut corners on proofreading as some publishers unfortunately do. Even if this means, in addition to the publisher’s proofreader, you also proofread the pages one final time when you probably won’t feel like doing so.

Ampersand Prize is open to Self Published Titles

If you write or publish in the YA or middle grade space, you might be interested in entering Hardie Grant’s Ampersand Prize. Details below. Dates are for 2024 — no doubt the 2025 dates will be similar.

Eligibility

We accept submissions from any person who has not previously had a young adult, middle-grade or graphic novel published by a trade publishing house anywhere in the world. If you have had a picture book, general fiction (for adults), educational or non-fiction title published, you are still eligible. Submissions must be entered at Submittable.com (link will become live July 1) and all required fields must be completed before submission. Writers will be required to submit a one-page synopsis with their manuscript, as well as a 100-word explanation of why they wrote the book (used only for context). 

If you are a self-published author, you are eligible to submit a manuscript provided you follow submission guidelines, and note in your cover letter whether the submitted manuscript has been self-published already. If it has, please remove it from sale for the duration of the Ampersand Prize (from 1 July 2024 until the shortlist is announced). By entering your manuscript, you agree to contract all publishing rights, including print and digital, if selected as the winner. Note that we do not accept ePub or Mobi files as submissions. 

Key dates:

• Submissions open: 1-31 July 2024

• Shortlist announced: November 2024

• Winner announced: December 2024

Library Thing Might Be Your Thing

If you love both books and being organised, this site may be of interest. Library Thing allows users to catalogue all of their books plus movies and music, and keep track of their reading progress, along with linking to like-minded bibliophiles and finding new titles to peruse. Also available in App form on Apple and Android.

Features include

• Add books, movies and music from Amazon, the Library of Congress and 4,941 other libraries.

• Track your reading progress, rate and review.

• See detailed charts and stats about your library and reading life.

• Find your new favorite book with personalized recommendations.

• A warm and welcoming community of nearly three million book lovers.

• Join groups and talk with other book lovers.

• Our Early Reviewers program offers over 3,000 free, early-release books every month.

• Apps for iPhone and Android.

• Available in over 50 languages.

Should AI make Authors Lives Easier?

Can an AI be a useful tool for authors, or a crutch that prevents an author from using their own judgement and enhancing their writing skills. Can AI give us agency, or rob us of it? No doubt the answer is both or either. Independent author expert Joanne Penn raises this interesting topic, with the assistance of Grok, the resident AI on X. I suspect the main problem will be (or already is) the absolute tidal wave of AI enabled and initiated content that will wash through the publishing world, much of which will be complete forgettable rubbish. The desire of most readers to read stories about humans for humans may be a difficult one to satisfy. Amplifying the already near-infinite supply of content will not assist with the long-term problem of declining readership. With many people welded to their phones and compulsively watching extremely short-form videos, the sight of a person reading an actual book or even an e-reader is rare enough to be remarkable.

Web Vision Solutions -- online marketing for Authors

Independent authors often lack a plan for promoting their books and author brand online. Vanity Press publishers and others charge exorbitant fees for very uncertain results in this space. We approached local online marketing expert Ilana van Geijn and asked her if she could put together some affordable marketing packages designed for authors. She obliged and the results were as follows, with the associated introduction:

At Web Vision Solutions, we’ve been assisting our clients for over 10 years to create and establish a strong online presence to enhance brand recognition, elevate business and personal profiles, and drive sales of services and/or products.

As authors, we understand your specific needs. Our Book Marketing Professional team member has over 15 years experience, and teamed with my passion of creating and enhancing clients' online businesses, we combine our knowledge to craft a tailored strategy for you as an author. With a proven track record of collaborating with self published, traditionally published, USA Today and New York Times Best-Selling Authors, as well as small publishers, we ensure that every project we undertake meets the highest standards.

Ilana van Geijn
Founder, Web Vision Solutions

Some of the packages available are:

• Book Launch and Marketing Strategy Packages — full and half

• Amazon Publishing Package

• NetGalley Promotion

• Information For Ingram Spark Users

• Websites, Social Media & More...

The full document can be downloaded here.

To get in touch with Web Vision Solutions:

To book in for a Discovery Call with Ilana, please click here.

Alternatively, please email us at info@webvisionsolutions.com and we will
connect with you within 24-48 hours.

5 of the Best Site Design Tools for an Effective Online Author Presence

Guest Contributor: Eleanor Hecks

Grabbing readers’ attention in a crowded publishing marketspace grows more complex with each passing year. Authors must get their work in front of a target audience via various channels, such as social media, online groups, newsletters and websites. Ensuring the site is a stellar example of the writer’s brand helps drive engagement and develop a lasting reader/writer relationship.

Developing an online presence that attracts ideal readers means maintaining brand consistency across all those channels and especially websites, which serve as a writer’s home base. Fortunately, many site design tools are available that are simple to use, even without coding knowledge, and will give an author’s site a professional look.

1. Shopify

Shopify boasts over 4.5 million live stores in more than 170 countries. The platform’s flexibility makes it popular with people who want to sell their products online. Many authors have griped on group forums about Amazon’s stranglehold on electronic publishing. They have been at the retail giant’s mercy if they want to accept ebook returns or judge pages on Kindle Unlimited reads as being fraudulent.

In recent years, experts have pushed authors to go wide and sell books on various sites to avoid putting all their eggs into one basket. Shopify makes the process simpler.

2. Wix

For authors who aren’t very techy, adding a site through Wix is simple. They can even take out a domain name and attach it to their pages. However, users should be aware of a few limitations with third-party sites, such as the upgrade fees and cookie-cutter designs.

While authors can customize Wix designs, they still look the same. Creative people often see repetition as a drawback. Still, if a writer needs a quick and easy way to get the word out about books, Wix is an excellent solution.

3. Facebook Page

Today’s published authors sometimes forgo the traditional website and select a Facebook page as their main means of communication with readers. They can even point a domain name to the page if they’d like, update it with photos and videos, and engage directly with their followers.

Researchers found that 76% of consumers plan to keep buying from brands they feel more connected to. By keeping up with a social media site, writers can simultaneously keep up with comments and share personal information that fosters connection with their readers.

4. Ucraft

Similar to sites such as Squarespace and Wix, Ucraft offers another option for authors wanting to get online quickly and establish their presence. One thing a lot of people like about the design platform is that users can sell their products in over 100 markets. Also, buyers can pay in multiple ways, including crypto, PayPal, Square and Stripe.

Ucraft offers templates that users can customize with their images and text. Writers can also create downloads of their products so people can pay and gain instant access to the book. A website can look professional when combined with design tools like Canva, Book Brush and Adobe Creative Cloud for unique images.

5. WordPress

Experts estimate there are around 151,200 authors and writers in the United States. Selecting the perfect platform and theme to showcase talent is challenging. Although prebuilt sites offer convenience, they might not give the level of customization required to truly stand out.

Another option is to lease hosting space through a shared provider, install a WordPress content management system (CMS) on the site and design something unique. Authors may want to work alongside a designer for a custom solution, but using WP to post unique content is as easy as tapping into Google Docs or Microsoft Word.

Writers can choose a free theme on WordPress.org, pay to license a professionally designed theme or work with a designer to customize the site’s look, colors and layout.

Why a Website?

A website is a bridge that connects readers and authors, driving engagement and loyalty. Writers who want raving fans who buy every book they release must work to communicate with them through storytelling, chats and interactive elements on their sites. Authors should look at their websites and digital footprint, which share the tale of who they are and where they're going. Hopefully, book sales follow along and show the connection between authors and readers.

About the Author

Eleanor Hecks is a writer and web designer who is passionate about helping other writers grow their online presence. Her work can be found on her site Designerly, as well as publications such as IndependentPublishing.com and I Need a Book Cover.

Graphic Design tools

From UPrint, some useful tools for estimating font sizes and visibility on printed products, including banners, labels, business cards and file sizes in pixels.

Banner Font Size Tool -  https://www.uprinting.com/banner-font-sizes.html - Our tool to help you gauge font size and distance

Best Resolution for Printing: What is My File Size in Pixels? - https://www.uprinting.com/resolution-and-file-size-for-printing.html Our tool can help determine the best file size for your design and produce the best print resolution.

Stickers and Labels Font Size https://www.uprinting.com/blog/stickers-labels-font-size/ - Our Sticker and Labels Font Size Tool will help you visualize different font sizes and styles on various objects and shapes, making it easy to design effectively.

Business Cards Font Size Tool https://www.uprinting.com/blog/business-cards-font-size/ - Choosing the right font size for your business card is crucial for creating a professional and readable design. 

Appallingly Amazing -- AI LLMs are moving into startling new areas...

An interesting account of an AI parsing a review and then composing a coherent audio discussion about the review, all in seconds. It starts like this:

“The first thing I pulled off my desktop for Todd was a review I wrote about a Bob Dylan documentary film, which originally ran on Design Observer in 2022. Off it went, and I went back to work. No more than 10 minutes later I received an email with a sound file. Rather than edit or rewrite my text, the AI used the content as the basis for an “original” podcast featuring two perfectly normal generative voices talking about Dylan in their own terms, but seen through my eyes (or words). It was a perfect simulacrum.”

— Steven Heller

and ends like this:

With natural voices, interplay, hesitations and more.

I’ve heard it said that most traffic on the Internet is already bots talking to other bots. It is now so easy to produce entirely synthetic material, surely AI enabled material will soon constitute the overwhelming majority of all online content, and it is happening so very fast…

Playing Cards at the Poles

Recently we were commissioned to design a set of playing cards featuring legendary Antarctic explorers. The card set was well received and they have made their way to surprising locations at extreme north and south…

Per my client Lewis Levitz:

I received this letter from Sarah.
Our cards are now being sold at a camp in Antarctica and also in Svalbard
Kind regards
Lewis

They have also been used to while away the time during flights over the Antarctic ice cap.

Three Books in One...

Author client G.W. Lucke asked us to find a way to typeset his recent Relevation Trilogy into one single massive volume (1000+ pages). It was a challenge, but we got there in the end, and the illustrations he commissioned for this special edition look great! The hardcover pictured below was printed by Ingram Spark. Check out the width of the spine — only just short of the maximum allowed.

Recent cover designs

Book design is usually characterised by an extreme diversity of subject matter, and this batch of recent designs is no exception to that general rule…[

Producing an Audiobook

Maria Issaris of Audiobooks Radio is offering an insight into the intricacies and challenges of audiobook production via a zoom session. She says that “Audiobook production is exciting and intense, technical and emotional, all at once. Each production team (and that includes the authors and publishers!) become immersed, experiencing the 'storytelling' version of their work as it emerges from the hard page and onto an audio-platform.”

As a format, the audiobook is experiencing dramatic growth, but the process of producing a compelling audiobook is quite complex and technically challenging. It is great to see some emerging Australian players in this field.

Maria Issaris: “So here we are. We want listeners to have a profound experience when listening to audiobooks. We developed cost-effective, absolutely high quality, global standard audiobook production for small publishers and individual authors. We want books to be disseminated on global platforms. We don't take royalties. audiobookradio uploads and cross‑promotes, but does not collect royalties, nor charge ongoing fees.And we love it!”